Feeding device



Oct. 6, 1936.

R. S. BUCKMAN ET AL FEEDING DEVICE Filed Nov. 9, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 w WN w wm f n yw w 5d v A, ,mi n MW/ m8 VW ct. 6, 1936. R.- s. BUCKMAN ET Al. 2,056,385

FEEDING DEVICE Filed Nv. 9, 1934 s sheets-sheet s /NVE/VTORS Hana/d Sydney Buc/fman. Ray idw/n IVe/dlg Patented Oct. 6, 1936 FEEDING DEVICE Ronald Sydney Buckman and Ray Edwin Neidig, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, assignors to The Consolidated Mining and Smelting Company of Canada, Limited, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, a company of Canada Application November 9, 1934, Serial No. 752,278

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in feeding devices by means of which substances of a granular nature such as seeds, fertilizers and the like may be uniformly applied to the soil in predetermined quantities, and has for its object the construction of a device whereby a positive control may be at all times exercised over the quantity of the substance so applied, which means mat7 be easily varied to increase or decrease the rate of feeding as desired.

A further object of the invention is to construct a device in which substances of a different nature may be individually or collectively applied to the soil in predetermined quantities.

To carry out the objects of our invention, the device consists of a receptacle such as a hopper provided with a plurality of outlet orifices or ports in one side thereof, a baiile hinged to the inner surface of the same side directly above the orifices and angularly disposed thereto which effectively prevents the free flow of material from the upper portion of the hopper through the orices, a rotatable shaft or rotor provided with projections rotating in the hopper directly in front of and parallel to the orifices and below the baiiie in such a manner that the rotation of the rotor causes a predetermined quantity of material to flow through each of the orifices and thence through suitable spouts or tubes to the soil and effectively prevents any flow of material from the hopper when the rotation of the rotor ceases. The rotation of said rotor also by means of the projections on its periphery passing beneath the said hinged baffle causes the lower edge of this to oscillate sufficiently to keep the material in the box above the baiile always moving downwards toward the rotor. As the rate of ow of material through the orices depends directly on the speed of rotation of the rotor we have provided means by which the speed of the rotor may be increased or decreased independently of the speed of the carriage on which the device is mounted.

We have found the above mentioned improvements result in a lower construction cost, fewer moving parts thus minimizing the danger of break-downs with the resulting loss of time and repair costs, and at the same time effecting a more uniform application of material to the soil than has heretofore been possible to realize.

For a complete understanding of our invention reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings in which:-

Fig. 1 is a rear elevation of a seed drill with this invention attached thereto and acting as a (Cl. B21-120) fertilizer feeding attachment, to distribute fertilizer to the soil with the planting of the seed.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of a seed drill showing the position of the invention when used as a fertilizer feeding attachment in relation to a seed drill.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of this invention when used as a fertilizer attachment showing the feeding device on a larger scale than in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged end sectional View; and

Fig. 5 is an end view of a double integral unit constructed in accordance with this invention.

Like characters of reference refer to like parts throughout the specifications and drawings.

As the mechanical construction and operation of all ordinary types of seeding machines are well known to manufacturers and users of agricultural implements, and as our invention relates only to the receptacle and the device for applying the material to the soil, it will only be necessary in the following description to refer to such parts of the seeding machine as are co-ordinated or co-operate with our present invention.

The material feeding device illustrated in the drawings consists of a material box I similar to the grain box 2 of the seed drill, and is provided with outlet orifices or ports 5 in one side thereof. A baflle 3 is hinged to the inner surface of the same side directly over the orifices extending downwardly at an angle thereto the full length of the box, and with its lower edge resting on a rotatable shaft or rotor 4 provided with projections, mounted within the box directly underneath the baiiie and extending the full length in front of the ports 5. The baffle 3 directs the flow of material from the upper portion of the box to the front of the rotor, the rotation of which pushes the granular substance towards and out of the ports 5 into tubes or spouts 2li which convey it to the soil, and at the same time, the rotation of said rotor beneath said baille causes the baffle to oscillate to and fro and ensure a continuous flow of material in the box above the baffle to the rotor.

In the construction illustrated, the mechanism for effecting the rotation of the rotor l comprises a plate, 2l, which is secured to one end of the fertilizer box, l, and upon which is mounted the gear train and sprockets. One end of a countershaft, e, is journalled in a bearing formed in the plate, 2l, at or near the lower extremity thereof, the other end of the counter shaft being supported by a hanger, 2d, which is attached to and extends downwardly from the bottom of the box, l. Mounted on the countershaft 9, between the "thereto the full length of the boxes.

plate 2l and the hanger 24 is a driven sprocket 8 and on the projection of the counter shaft 9 beyond the plate 2l is mounted a driving sprocket Iii, J ournalled in the upper part of the plate 2| is a shaft 23 upon which is mounted a driven sprocket I2 and a driving spur gear I3 which is driven by the sprocket I 2, the spur gear I3 meshing with and driving a spur gear I4 which is mounted on the rotor 4. A driving connection isr obtained between the sprocket I and the sprocket i2 by means of a transmission chain vI I. A split sprocket l is fitted to any convenient place on the grain shaft of the seed drill and the rotary motion of the grain shaft is transmitted through the chain i to the sprocket 8 mounted on the counter shaft 9.

The invention when constructed as an attachment to a seed drill is removably and adjustably secured to the grain box 2 by means o f brackets I5and il secured to the seed box and by means of the arms I6 and I8 and I9 secured to the box I and extending therefrom to be connected by means of bolts or in any other convenient manner to the brackets. By means of the vertical slot in the bracket I5 and the horizontal slots in the arms i6 and I 8 and IS the attachment maybe connected to any type of known seed drill.

As the only material from the box applied to the soil is the predetermined amount pushed through the outlet orifices by the rotation of the rotor, and as the amount required varies for different ciasses of soil, it has been found necessary to vary the rate of rotation of the rotor in order to obtain a heavier or lighter application. This may be easily accomplished by changing the sprockets 8, iii and I2, or the gears I3 and I4, or any combination thereof, and replacing them with sprockets or gears of different ratio. The chain II is passed over the curved surface of the plate 22 which, being pivotally secured to the plate ZI, is ladjustable to keepthe chain taut regardless of the diameter of the sprockets I0 and I2.

While the above described feeding device is chemical fertilizers, it is likewise particularly ladvantageous for use in the distribution of seed,

in that it is of simpler construction than the ordinary seed drill and will distribute lsuch small seedas flax without the necessity of auxiliary appliances, and in that grain seed treated Awith copper carbonate vmay be handled more successfully than has heretofore been possible due to the fact that the bearings found in the lordinary type of drill have been eliminated.

Furthermore, when it is desired to distribute to the soil more than one type of material requiring separate distribution to the soil, a double integral unit of the device described may be used advantageously as shown in Figure 5 of the drawings where the device consists of box I and box la, both of which are provided with outlet orifices o-r ports 5 and 5a respectively in one side thereof. Baffles 3 and 3a are hinged to the inner surface of the same sides respectively directly above the orifices extending downwardly at an angle Rotatable shafts or rotors 4 and 4a mounted for rotary rotors 4 and 4a. impart an oscillating motion to the 'bafiies 3 and 3ato and fro so that the material above the baies in the boxes I and 2 is fed downwards in aneven stream to the rotors 4 and 4a.

lThe means'by which the rotation of the rotor Vis effected and the speed of the rotation increased or decreased to effect a heavier or lighter application of any or all the materials so conveyed to the soil is similar to that hereinbefore described.

It will'be clearly understood, of course, that the mechanical means for imparting the "rotary motion to the rotor is only a preferred construction, and other combination of gears and other means of increasing the rate of rotation of the rotor may be embodied in the device without departing from the scope of the invention.

Having thus fully described our invention what we claim 'as new land desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A feeding device for applying granular vsubstances to the soil which comprises a receptacle having a pluralityof outlet ports in the side thereof, a rotor polyangular in cross section, mounted for rotary movement in said receptacle parallel to and in front of said ports, thev rotation of the rotor causing a` predetermined quantity of said substance to flow through each of said outlet ports, means for rotating said rotor, la baille hingedly secured to Ian inner wall of said receptacle and angularly disposed for directing the flow of the substance toward the'bottom of the receptacle infront vof said rotor, the free end of said baflieresting on the rotor in such a manner that the rotation of the rotor oscillates the baflle thereby ensuring a continuous ow of the substance in the compartment above the baffle to the rotor.

2. feeding device for applying granular substances to the soil'which comprises a receptacle having a plurality of outlet ports in the side thereof, a rotor polyangular in cross section, mounted for rotary movement in said receptacle parallel to and in front of said ports, the rotation of the rotor causing a predetermined quantity of said substance to flow through each of said outlet ports, means for rotating said rotor, a baffle hingedly secured to an inner wall of said receptacle and angularly disposed for directing the iiow 'of the substance toward the bottom of the receptacle in front of said rotor, the free end of said baffle resting on the rotor inl such a manner that the rotation of the rotor oscillates the bale thereby ensuring a continuous iiow of the substance in the compartment above the baffle to the roto-r and means for varying the speed of rotation ofthe rotor.

RONALD SYDNEY BUCKMAN. RAY EDWIN NEIDIG. 

